Seasons
by leafonthebreeze
Summary: Four seasons, four Turks, four chapters
1. Spring

Holding his breath, the red headed Turk opened the door as quietly as he could. Slowly, he slid around it; listening for any sign he had been spotted. He crept softly across the room, praying no-one would notice him.

"You don't need to creep around like that Reno" said a voice. He froze, and looked over to the speaker, a small young woman with short blonde hair.

"Elena!" he hissed, you'll blow my cover!" She rolled her eyes.

"Tseng isn't here" she said, sounding bored.

"Damn! I thought I was just good! He's usually caught me by now… where is he anyway?"

"Gone for a walk, luckily for you. You are half an hour late" said Rude, without looking up.

"A walk?" exclaimed Reno, incredulously. "It's raining!"

"He likes the rain" said Elena softly.

Tseng wandered through the streets of Edge, reveling in the feel of the rain on his skin. It reminded him of another rainfall, her rainfall, warm as her kisses and soft as her skin. This rain was cooler, a spring shower, but it still reminded him almost painfully of her.

He remembered the first time he met her. He was the only son of a rich Wutain family from the plate, and he hated it, hated their snobbery, their ancient decrepit traditions. Whenever he could he escaped down to the slums. There he was nobody, another street rat, with no one to tell him what to do, to force ancient ceremonies upon him. He hated Wutai and everything about it.

One day, when he was sixteen, after a particularly fierce argument with his father, he found himself in a different sector of the slums, one he hadn't explored yet. In the back of his mind, he knew he was just a plate kid, lost in a dangerous world that he didn't belong to, but he wouldn't admit it to himself. Anger and bravado made him reckless, and soon he found himself trapped down an alleyway, two nasty looking men bearing down on him. That's when she appeared.

She was four years younger then him, just a kid in his eyes. She strode out in front of him, out of the shadows. Her face was dirty and she was a little to thin, but his would-be attackers froze in their tracks.

"You two" she had sighed, with an exaggerated roll of the eyes. "What have I told you about attacking innocent people?"

"Uh, sorry Aerith." They had blushed, and shuffled their feet before turning and running. She had laughed, and turned to him where he crouched watchful and angry in the shadows.

"You're not from around here are you" she had smiled. He shook his head once.

She had taken him round her sector of the slums, and her church, showing him her favorite places. Everywhere she went, people recognized her. She was a sort of slum celebrity. He has asked her about it once. She had blushed, and mumbled that her mother said she brought them hope.

They became firm friends, and he would sneak out to see her whenever he could. He would bring her things from the plate, luxuries like exotic fruit, perfume stolen from his mother, chocolate. He loved to see her face as she sampled each new delight, constantly amazed at the things she didn't know. She had never been to school, Elmyra her mother had taught her to read and write, and simple mathematics, but she knew little of the world outside the slums. He loved teaching her, showing off his knowledge, he loved the way she would stare at him, and exclaim in wonder at each new discovery.

He told her of his hatred for his family, and his secret ambition to join Shinra. The animosity between the company and Wutai spurred him on even more. He wanted to break free of his roots, to throw away his heritage. She would sigh when he spoke like that.

"What?" he would ask her, irritably.

"A flower without roots soon withers and dies" she said sadly.

In the end, he finally got his job, in the newly created Investigation Division of the General Affairs Department, also known as the Turks. He was eighteen, she was fourteen. She was becoming increasingly beautiful to him. He also realised there was something special about her, something different, that made her stand out from the other slum girls. Where they were dirty and mindless, she was fresh and innocent. She was like the flowers that grew in her church, unique and beautiful in this desolate world.

Shortly afterwards, war broke out between Wutai and Shinra. He had to endure some mistrust from many members of the company, but he hadn't let it affect him. He wanted to prove to everyone he had truly cut himself off from Wutai. He hadn't seen his family in years. It paid off, and two years later when the war ended he was promoted to second in command of the Turks.

It was then that he discovered Aerith had been hiding a lot more from him then he thought. The file that was placed on his desk read "Last remaining Cetra" but the photo was definitely Aerith. He had quickly scanned the file, discovering in a few seconds things she had kept from him for four years. She was the last remaining member of an ancient race of people who had mostly died out. Her mother was Ilfana, who partook willingly in experiments and research performed by proffesor Gast, who she later fell in love with. Gast was Aerith's father, but had been shot when she was just twenty days old. She had spent seven years of her life in a laboratory, but they had escaped. Her mother had died, and entrusted her to Elmyra Gainsbourgh.

However it was the final part of the report that stunned him to the point of dizzyness. Ever since she escaped, Shinra had been persuing her. They had hoped to persuade her to come peacefully, but she had refused. Now they proposed to take her by force. This would be Tseng's first assignment as second in command.

That evening he had made his way as quickly as possible to her church, only to find it empty, and with a huge hole in the roof. Terrified he had run to her house. Elmyra had answered the door, and said she was out with "A nice SOLDIER boy she had met."

A few days later he had found her. She was full of stories of Zack, the handsome young SOLDIER who had fallen out of the sky. They had warned him about this.

"If SOLDIER are the heroes, the Turks are the rats" Reno had sneered at him.

He told her he knew, about her past, about who she was, and hated himself for it, for causing her face to fall, tears springing to her eyes.

"I suppose you wan't to take me to them then" she had said softly.

But he didn't. Instead, he did his best to keep her from them, sending his men on false trails, never letting them catch her. He was promoted to the leader of the Turks when he was twenty-two.

Suddenly, Tseng realised where he was. He had wandered into the ruins of Midgar, and found himself standing outside the ruined church. Slowly, he entered, and walked to the clear spring that bubbled there. Staring into the waters, he remembered the flowers that had grown there, and her sitting in the middle of them, crying.

Zack had dissapeared. He had met Zack now, knew who he was, and he knew what had happened to him. Mortally wounded fighting Sephiroth, he had been taken wih the rest of the victims to be experimented on by Hojo. It was part of a grand cover up he had organised. He couldn't tell her though, not when she looked at him like that. She would hate him if he told her. So he took her in his arms and let her cry into him, and when later he found himself kissing her, and as they fell back together onto the bed of flowers, it all seemed like a dream, and he knew he could never tell her.

For her twenty first birthday, he bought her the dress from the shop in the Wall market, the pink one she had always wanted. Bizzarely, she wouldn't let him watch her change, despite the fact that they were lovers now. However he knew she held on to some strange loyalty to Zack, that even as she pressed herself against him, it was Zack that was in her mind, and the guilt she felt for betraying him. Yet still she let him, even asked him to, and he could never say no.

He finally let her be captured so he would know where she was when the plate fell, know she was safe, at least for now but the betrayal in her eyes when she discovered what he'd done haunted him to this day. He saw only fleeting glimpses of her after that.

When she died, he felt so alone. He remembered her words, "a flower with no root withers and dies." She was his root, and something had died in him with her, until that magical healing rain. He remembered standing in that rain, watching it heal Rufus, letting it wash over him. It was all her, like being in her, like her arms around him.

Tseng crouched down, and looked at his reflection in the water. Then, just for a second, he thought he saw her, leaning over him smiling, green eyes full of happiness. But when he turned, he was alone.

Sighing, he got to his feet. Outside, the rain had stopped, and the sun was filtering through the holes in the celing of the church. He should get back to the office, he needed to shout at Reno for being late, although the red-head would probably have come up with some mad but brilliant excuse. Slowly he walked out of the church. Just for a second, he thought he heard her sigh, a soft, barely audible whisper through the broken coloumns. Then it was silent again, and he walked out the door, blinking in the bright spring sunshine.


	2. Summer

Elena sighed and sat up. It was no use; she was never going to get to sleep in this heat. Why did Rufus have to drag them all along on his 'holiday'? While his Geostigma had healed, Rufus would never quite recover from the injuries he sustained when Midgar fell. The doctor had told him he needed a rest, perhaps some sea air, get out of the city. So Rufus had shipped them all out to Shinra Villa in Costa del Sol, the biggest tourist trap on the planet.

She rolled out of bed and walked over to the window, overlooking the Villa's quite sizeable garden. The air was warm and stifling, but anything was better then the oven that was her room. In the heat she had swapped her usual silk pyjamas for a black nightdress that came to just below her knees, but it didn't seem to help. A warm breeze blew through her short blonde hair, bringing little comfort from the stifling heat.

She looked up and the dark sky, stained orange by the streetlamps of the resort. Only a few stars were visible over the false sunset. She moved her gaze down to the darkened garden. Bright flowers were just visible, their garish colours toned down by the shadows. She noticed a drainpipe that ran down the wall next to her window, and that the bricks protruded from the wall all down the corner of the Villa, almost like a ladder. The Turk part of her brain told her it would be a good escape route, in fact, knowing Shinra that was probably why it had been built that way.

Suddenly a reckless desire to be down in the shadowy garden overtook her. However, knowing Reno's fondness for the various bars and nightclubs the resort had to offer, Tseng had banned them from leaving the Villa at night. If she went down the stairs, the senior Turk would almost definitely hear her, as his room was on the bottom floor. However, those bricks seemed fairly easy to climb down, and anywhere was better then her oven of a room.

She hoisted herself onto the windowsill, and reached over to the drainpipe. Pressing herself to the wall, she carefully found her footing on the rough brick. Then she began to climb down, relishing the adrenaline rush that came with the danger, despite the slight pain of the brick digging into her bare feet. Still, the climb was relatively easy, especially with her training.

The cool grass was heaven when she dropped onto it, its dampness the only thing stopping her from lying down on it. The garden was dark and shadowy, the white flowers nearby like ghosts in the gloom. She wandered over to them and took one in her hand, bending to smell it.

"Nice night" said a voice. She froze, her heart pounding in her chest, and spun around to meet a pair of amused blue-green eyes and a shock of unruly red hair.

"God Reno, don't do that!" she gasped, as the feeling returned to her body.

"You should be more alert" he said. He was still in his uniform, minus the jacket, with his shirtsleeves rolled up. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"I could say the same to you."

He shrugged, and looked awkward for a second.

"I saw your little climb down the building. I guess Tseng didn't think of that when he made up the stupid curfew. Still, didn't stop me did it."

"How did you get out?" she asked curiously.

He tapped his nose and winked. "Now that would be telling. I'm Reno, I can do anything"

She snorted. "You keep telling yourself that. So I guess you'll be off to some bar now then" she said, unable to keep a trace of bitterness out of her voice.

"Actually no, I was thinking of going to the beach. Care to join me?"

She looked at him incredulously. "The beach? At this hour?"

"Well, you're already out in the garden" he pointed out. Then a wicked gleam entered his eyes. "Unless you're too chicken…"

He had her there. They both knew she could never back down from a challenge.

"I am NOT too chicken! Fine, I'll go to the beach, if you can show me a way to get out the garden without Tseng seeing us"

"Right this way madam" he grinned, gesturing towards the side gate that was always locked. He took a short run and hoisted himself over, perching on the wall of the garden. She followed more slowly, eyeing the gate nervously. In her Turk uniform it would be easy, but in a nightdress and bare feet the jump was a different matter. He raised an infuriating eyebrow at her pause.

"You need a hand?" he asked mockingly.

"NO" she growled, and jumped too quickly. She missed the top and landed painfully on her knees, grazing them. She sat on the floor for a second, humiliated, and heard a sigh from above her.

"Ok, seriously, want a hand? It's ok; I won't think any less of you or whatever." She wasn't sure whether he was genuine or just mocking her again, and decided she didn't care.

"Fine" she sighed and he reached down a hand, grasping her wrist, his hands rough and calloused against the soft skin. He heaved her up and she got a purchase on the wooden gate, and walked her bare feet up it, wincing as the splintered wood dug into her feet. She could feel the fine bones straining against the skin where she gripped his wrist, and felt a pulse but was unsure whether it was his, or just her own blood pumping in her hand. Then she pulled herself over the fence. He dropped her wrist, massaging his arm.

"Man 'Lena you ain't half heavy" he whined. She punched him in the arm and he held up his hands in submission. "Joke, ok? Joke!"

They walked together out of the alleyway and into the road. It was here that Elena realised the problem with going out without shoes. The rough dusty road was covered with sharp pebbles, litter and broken glass. There were still tourists out and about on the streets, talking and laughing noisily. She gingerly stepped onto a part of the path that was free of hazards.

Reno strode out confidently. "What you waiting for 'Lena?" he smirked, as she growled at him. She made an ungainly half leap to the next safe part of the path she could see, wobbling slightly as she landed.

"Some Turk you are" snorted Reno.

"Shut UP Reno" she snarled. "I am FINE"

Reno rolled his eyes but didn't say anything, as Elena wobbled her way across the path, occasionally wincing as her foot met a sharp stone or piece of litter. This made for very slow progress, and after a few minutes, in which they had managed to get about a third of the way down the path, Reno stopped.

"Look, this is ridiculous. You want me to carry you?"

"NO" Elena shouted. "Anyway, you just said I was heavy, why would you…" she ended with a shriek as she stood on a piece of glass. She lost her balance and grabbed hold of his arm to steady herself. He looked down at her amusedly.

"Your right, you probably would be. This is much easier." she decided it was too much bother to argue with him, and besides it would be easier and quicker to use him for balance.

This made things slightly quicker and they soon came to the main beach, still full of holidaymakers. Elena was glad she was free of her uniform and the strange looks that came with it. People knew to avoid the Turks. It was funny how she could walk down the street barefooted in a nightdress (which was a lot more then some of the girls were wearing) and not get a second look, but in the smart blue suit she trailed whispers in her wake. She was glad Reno wasn't wearing the recognisable blue jacket.

She let go of Reno, and turned to walk onto the sand, but he grabbed her arm.

"I know we're not in uniform, but I feel like going to a different beach." he said, motioning towards a narrow path that wound its way up some cliffs further along the road.

"If you want…" she replied confusedly, and followed him up the path, walking on the grass on the side to save her feet.

The path eventually led into another cove much smaller then the main beach, and deserted without the convenience of cafés and public toilets. Elena stepped onto the soft sand, relishing the feeling as it slid between her toes. She half-ran down to the sea, feeling the sand turn from sugar-like, to soft and yielding, causing her to leave deep footprints, to painfully hard near the sea. The waves washed up the beach, and she squeaked as the cold water lapped at her toes, bringing life to the sand around them, it seemed to suck at her feet as the wave pulled back with a sigh.

She turned to Reno, who was sitting at the top of the beach, watching her.

"Not going for a paddle then?" she teased. He smiled sardonically.

"After a good few drinks, maybe, sober, no way"

"Boring" she taunted, then ran back up the beach and collapsed in the sand next to him. The sand had stuck to her feet, scratching the delicate skin between her toes, but she decided to let it dry before brushing it off.

They sat there in companionable silence, staring out to sea. It was a full moon, and the reflection bled across the water like mercury, dancing to the sound of the waves. Suddenly Reno turned to her.

"Truth or dare" he grinned. The moon was reflected in his eyes, making his expression unreadable.

"Dare" she replied instantly.

"Dare you to go skinny dipping in the sea while I watch"

"NO"

"Okay, then you have to do truth" he replied unconcernedly.

"Fine…" she sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"What do you regret most?"

Elena pondered the question, shivering slightly as a breeze blew in from the sea.

"Not making up with my sister before she was killed in meteorfall" she replied finally. He nodded, but didn't say anything, apparently processing the information.

"What about you?" she asked.

"You have to say truth or dare"

"Fine" she rolled her eyes. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare" he grinned.

"Aw, I suck at making up dares."

"Well you have to"

"Fine, go skinny dipping in the sea while I watch"

"That was my dare, you just copied it. You have to think of your own one." he taunted, poking her in the side. She swatted him away as she tried to think.

"I dare you to… tell me how you got out the house without Tseng seeing you"

"That's not a dare, that's a truth, but I'll do it anyway. I jumped."

"Your rooms on the same floor as mine, that's way too high to jump. I don't believe you"

He snorted and threw sand at her. Don't doubt me, I'm a Turk remember? In fact, I'm more of a Turk then you are rookie"

"Don't throw sand, do you want to blind me?" she admonished, but not fiercely, he hadn't thrown it anywhere near her face. "And I am not a rookie; I've been a Turk for four years now"

"And I've been one for twelve. I think I win."

Elena sighed but decided not to pursue the matter. Arguing with Reno was like arguing with a brick wall, it got you nowhere and made you feel pretty stupid. She shivered again.

"It's getting cold" she said, looking up at the sky where clouds had begun to gather.

"I'd offer you my jacket, but I don't have it with me. Actually, no I wouldn't, I'd be wearing it" he replied, rolling down his shirtsleeves.

"Oh how chivalrous." She said sarcastically, "Some gentleman you are"

"I never said I was a gentleman" he said unconcernedly, "In fact, I'm about as far from a gentleman as you can get. You don't get gentleman in the Turks."

"Tseng's a gentleman" she said softly, looking out to sea, where angry clouds were rolling in, covering the moon.

"Oh you would say that." he said teasingly, but with a touch of bitterness.

"No actually" she replied, not looking at him. "I never really liked him in that way, not properly"

He snorted. "Yes you did. You were obsessed. It was hilarious. In fact, it was damn annoying"

"It was more a sort of admiration." she said dreamily, talking to herself as much as him. "He was everything I wanted to be, professional, powerful, in control. I put him on a pedestal as the perfect guy, but I never really fell for him."

"What changed then? How come we don't have to endure your endless chatter about the pros and cons of his hairstyle or whatever?"

"When we were captured by Kadaj" she said darkly. "I saw… the human side of him I guess. Saw him lose control, saw him cry as they tortured him. We didn't give anything away obviously, not with out training and all, but it didn't stop us reacting to the pain, crying, screaming…" her voice was trembling now, and she cursed herself. She would not allow herself to cry in front of Reno. "It brought me closer to him, a lot closer, but it took away the image I had of him." She laughed suddenly. "Sorry if it makes no sense, I guess it's hard for you to understand"

"No, I sort of get it" he said. He looked at her for a second, and suddenly burst into laughter.

"What's so funny?" she asked, trying to sound indignant but unable to stop herself laughing with him, it was contagious.

"I dunno, I'm just happy I guess" he said grinning. She shook her head at him.

"Strange boy"

"I'm hardly a boy" he yawned, suddenly realising how late it must be. Just then, there was a bright flash, followed quickly by a loud rumble.

"Thunder" groaned Reno. "Come on, we'll have to make a run for it."

He jumped up, and she followed, running down the track that led to the beach. The rain started, hammering down on the pair of them, the freezing water stinging like needles. When they reached the road it was crowded with people running back to their hotels and homes.

"Oh god, I'm still not wearing any shoes" wailed Elena.

"Okay, I'm carrying you." He announced. "Get on my back."

He bent down and she wrapped her arms round his neck as he lifted her up, holding her legs as he set off at a jog through the throng of people crowding the road.

"I thought I was too heavy to carry" she shouted in his ear over the sound of rain and thunder"

"You are" he shouted back, hoisting her more securely onto his back. His hands were freezing on her bare legs but she was more concerned about getting back.

He dropped her outside the door to the villa, both of them panting and giggling like little kids. Then Elena's whole body seemed to freeze as they were illuminated by light that spilled out the front door that had just been opened by Tseng, wearing a pair of elegant black silk pyjamas.

"Do I want to know the explanation for this?" he asked tiredly. "It's two in the morning, and I find you outside in a thunderstorm laughing like lunatics."

Elena looked at the floor, letting the rain plaster her hair over her face. Tseng stood in the doorway, tapping his foot as he waited for an explanation.

"Well…" began Reno. "What are you doing awake yourself sir?"

"I was woken by the thunder, and you are grasping at straws. I want a proper explanation and fast or I will inform Rufus."

"Well, ah, you see, the thing is…" began Reno.

"I thought I heard a noise outside sir, an intruder" blurted out Elena. "I left my room to investigate, and was looking around when I found Reno."

"I also heard the noise" added Reno hastily, "and I also came out to investigate. We gave each other the fright of our lives sir, that's why we were laughing."

"I see" said Tseng sceptically. "And why didn't I hear you both leave? I would have heard you open the door. In fact, you should have informed me immediately if you suspected an intruder."

"I'm sorry sir I just didn't think…" murmured Elena. "I climbed out the window into the garden so the intruder wouldn't see me…"

"Me too" added Reno.

Tseng sighed. "Well I'm not sure if I believe you but its good enough. Now get out of the rain and go back to bed both of you"

"Thank you sir!" smiled Elena as the pair ran inside and up the stairs. Tseng watched them go, and returned to his own room, shaking his head. He was getting soft, he really was. He felt like a father admonishing a pair of naughty teenagers. Still, they were family in a way, the four of them and Rufus, a strange, dangerous, dysfunctional family. But there was nothing wrong with that.


	3. Autumn

A single pale brown leaf quivered slightly as the autumn breeze caught it. Eventually, a particularly strong blast blew it from the tree. It spiralled to earth, and unbeknown to its owner, lodged itself in an unruly mane of copper hair.

Reno trudged slowly down the main street of Edge, hands shoved deep in his pockets. It was one of those dank days that were so typical in Edge, where the sky turned an iron grey and people huddled in their coats against the wind. Others thronged about him, but the streets were eerily quiet, everyone speaking in hushed voices: it was the anniversary of meteor.

He was conspicuous as always, more so in the old blue suit worn in memory of his fallen comrades. Many turned away in fear or disgust when they saw him, but some stared in open curiosity. Reno stared back, occasionally pulling a face and earning himself some shocked looks. Solemnity was never his strong point.

As he got closer to the main square, the roads became more crowded and eventually he was making his way through a dense knot of people. He didn't even have to push, people saw who he was and melted away in front of him. It was good to know the Turks retained their authority. Craning his neck, he could see Rufus and Reeve standing on a small stage erected at the foot of the monument, Tseng standing discretely to one side. While all the Turks had been given the day off, Tseng had volunteered to stay with Rufus, arguing that today of all days, the president needed protection. There were some who blamed him for the destruction of Midgar, and today emotions would be running high, it wouldn't be the first time there had been an attempt on the president's life.

Reno however, would never turn down the chance of a day off.

Looking around, he spotted another blue suit topped by cropped blonde hair. He quickly made his way through the crowd towards her, shoving aside anyone who got in the way. She jumped as he placed a hand on her shoulder, and then smiled weakly.

"Oh, it's you…" Elena said softly.

"Who else" he grinned, but his face fell when she sighed and turned away.

"Your sister huh?" he said awkwardly. "Guess that must be tough…"

"Mmm…" she shrugged.

Reno coughed and folded his arms, then unfolded them. He wasn't the best at cheering people up, he usually just clowned around until he made the person laugh, but that probably wasn't appropriate here.

"Um… Do you want me to go…" he began.

"Shhh, it's starting!" she said without looking at him, waving her hand in his direction with eyes on the stage.

Reno glanced over the heads of the people. Rufus had stood up out of his wheelchair, and began his speech. The square went deathly quiet, as Ex-President Shinra spoke about lives lost; debt to the planet, the usual stuff, Reno was hardly listening. He hated it when Rufus started with his sincerity crap; he knew the man didn't mean a word of it. To distract himself, he looked around at the people in the square. They were all listening attentively, solemn looks on their faces. Somewhere, a child began to cry. These people had been through a lot, through hell, the least Rufus could do is to tell them the truth, or keep his mouth shut. Tseng would say the people needed hope, but that was just like Tseng, always sticking up for his president.

He looked down at Elena, and was shocked to see she was crying too. Despite her best efforts to hide it, he could see the tear tracks smeared on her face, and the way she was screwing up her eyes, her breath coming in little sobs. Reno bit his lip, at a loss. Victims cried, before he killed them, girls cried when they woke up the next morning to find him making a hasty exit… but Turks didn't cry, and he had no idea how to react. Tentatively, he put his arm around her, and to his surprise she buried her face in his chest and let the tears take over. Slowly he drew his other arm around her. Her tears were soaking into his shirt, hot against his chest.

"It's ok…don't cry…" he muttered vaguely, awkwardly patting her back.

"I just… I just wish she…" she sobbed indistinctly. She wasn't the only one crying, others in the square had started up, sobbing and wailing as Rufus's speech came to an end and Reeve stood up to begin his own. Slowly, Elena's sobs quietened slightly, although they didn't quite cease. Reno wasn't sure whether to let go of her or not, but decided it was safer to, he didn't want her to think he thought she was weak (something she was paranoid about). She looked at the floor, unhappily.

"I know I shouldn't cry" she whispered. "I should be strong… I'm just being stupid."

She looked back at him, attempting to smile, and suddenly started giggling through her tears. If crying had shocked him, then there was no way he was ready for that.

"What?" he said nervously, wondering if she'd gone crazy with grief or something (hey, it could happen!)

"You…she spluttered… Reno… you have a leaf in your hair!"

"Do I?" he said, feeling around for it, relieved she wasn't crazy but wondering why she found it quite so funny.

"Here I'll get it" she said, giggling as she reached up and brushed the little brown leaf from between the spikes. She sighed, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Sorry about that" she said, sounding slightly embarrassed.

"Hey, it's ok" he replied. "Guess emotions get a little… out of line today"

"It's not though" she said fiercely, earning some irritated looks from the people around them. "Turks don't cry!"

"Says who? Turks are allowed emotions too, you know," he protested.

However, he knew she was right, crying just wasn't in a Turks job description, but he was also pretty sure that wasn't what she wanted to hear right now. She sighed, and shook her head.

"We both know that's not true Reno. Don't worry, you don't have to try and be nice and stuff. I just sometimes wish I wasn't the only girl. I miss the girly nights in… chocolates and a movie, all that kind of stuff, like we had in school..."

Reno looked at her helplessly for a minute, and then an idea hit him.

"Hey, I can be a girl for a night if you like"

She looked at him in confusion. "What did you just say?"

"All that stuff you just said, chocolate and movies and stuff, I can do that with you if you want." He smiled hopefully. "But just for tonight though" he added hastily. "Don't go thinking I've come over soft or anything."

The speeches had ended, and the crowd began to slowly leave the square. The two of them moved unconsciously with the rush of people as they talked.

Elena giggled. "I guess that could work… I don't really want to be alone tonight anyway…" He began to smirk "NOTlike that! Get your mind out the gutter!"

"Hey hey hey who said I'd want to hit on you? Flat chested short arses are so not my type."

"HEY!" she shrieked, punching him in the arm.

"Joke, joke… you're very pretty and I would be perfectly glad to hit on you if I didn't think it would end up with me getting punched."

She rolled her eyes. "You don't ever change do you?"

"Nope, that's me babe, I never get old."

"I'm glad" she said softly. He looked at her in surprise; he'd been expecting the usual put-down. Looking around, he realised they were at the road that led to his flat.

"Well, decision time, you coming or not?" he asked. She nodded, and grinned. "Lead the way Ren_a_!"

When they got to his flat, he had been worried she would leave because of all the beer cans/old underwear/dirty plates of food on the floor, but she didn't seemed phased, and wandered around looking through the rooms. Eventually, she collapsed on the brown, stained sofa, grinning up at him.

"So Ren_a_, what are we watching?"

"Ok, quit with the Rena thing already" he groaned. "Pick a film and put it on while I get something to eat."

He left her examining the various DVDs lying around the TV while he hunted around his dark, dingy little kitchen for his emergency triple chocolate ice cream supply. This was reserved solely for hangovers and getting home after particularly hard missions, but he thought he could _probably_ spare some.

It was strange seeing Elena settling herself into his flat like she belonged there, he couldn't remember the last time anyone but Rude had actually been in there. Usually when he picked up a girl he made sure they went to her place. It was just easier that way.

Wandering back into the living room, he found her sprawled on the sofa, the opening credits to some rom-com on the screen. She scooted over for him to have a seat, and he placed the tub between them, passing her a spoon.

"You seem pretty well equipped for a girlie night in" she remarked, manoeuvring a spoonful out the frozen tub. "You and Rude do this often?"

"Shut up!" he whined, poking her in the arm with his spoon. "I just like ice cream! And the movie was a present from some girl"

She looked up sharply. "Girl?" she echoed flatly.

"Ages ago now. Just some chick. Thought she would win a second date with crappy presents…. I'm the kind of guy your mother told you to stay away from, you know?" he laughed bitterly, it was true he preferred to keep relationships to one night only, it was less hassle for them _both_ that way.

There was no way some random girl could ever understand what it was like being a Turk, but they always had to try, and that was probably the worst part.

Elena was looking at him curiously. Suddenly, she shuffled around a bit and laid her head in his lap, moving her legs to hang over the edge of the sofa and balancing the ice cream on her stomach. He looked down at her in surprise.

"I'm tired" she said simply. He shrugged, then leaned over her to take a spoonful of ice cream as they settled down to watch the movie.

As the end credits rolled, Reno looked down to find her fast asleep in his lap.

"Hey, 'Lena" he murmured, shaking her shoulder gently. "Films over." Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled sleepily at him.

"Ok, so you're cute" he said, grinning. "But you'll probably be way more comfortable in bed."

"Nice try, Reno, I saw this place only has _one_ bed."

"Actually, I was gonna kip on the sofa." He said innocently.

"Nah, I'm fine here" she replied lazily, stretching. "But I could do with something to sleep in. You got any big T shirts I could borrow?"

"Uh yeah, sure," he mumbled, disappearing for a second and returning with a creased black T shirt, which he threw to her. She shook it out, and studied the caption, it read "A dog is for life, not just for Friday night!" along with a small cartoon of a particularly hideous woman. She sighed, and looked over at him.

"Don't blame me! It's Rude's!" exclaimed Reno. "Come on, you really think something that big would fit me?"

"Rude's?" she said sceptically. "Doesn't seem much like his usual taste in clothes…"

"Ok, ok, I bought it for him" he sighed.

"And then you happened to borrow it back from him?"

"Look, it's the biggest T shirt I've got, take it or leave it. You don't have to sleep in _anything_ on my account."

"Hah hah very funny. Now get out and let me change"

He backed out the room and into his bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt. He slipped it off, and hunted around for something to sleep in for himself. He usually slept naked, but that didn't really feel right with Elena in the next room, despite what he'd said. Eventually he found an old pair of tracksuit bottoms. Pulling them on, he decided to go and say goodnight. He gently knocked on the door of the living room, and getting no answer he opened the door.

The curtains were still open, letting in the streetlights. She was curled up on the sofa, already asleep, illuminated by the light from the window and the blank screen of the TV, which they had left on. Her blonde hair fell over her face, hiding it, but the T shirt left her legs revealed. Her skin was bleached white by the light, the scars standing out on them in stark relief. They were crisscrossed with scars, of all shapes and sizes, mostly on the thighs, but some on her calves too.

Reno shut his eyes for a second, reminding himself that the silver haired _demons_ who did this to her were gone now…but that didn't make the scars go away. The ones on her arms he saw regularly, and had grown used to, but he had never seen these.

He took a deep breath, and forced his eyes away from her, going over and shutting off the TV and closing the frayed curtains. Standing in the darkened room, he reminded himself they all had scars: the Turks, roadmaps of their lives - their jobs, who they were. They were proof that Elena really wasn't a rookie anymore, that she was one of them, that she knew what it was to be a Turk now.

He was filled with a strange, fierce pride in her, she had been through so much but kept that optimistic outlook the rest of them had lost over the years, and he loved her for it.

His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he walked over to the sofa, looking down at her in the dark. Softly, he pushed her hair out her face. Then he turned and left the room, closing the door silently behind him.


End file.
